The internet of things is a cool and magical place. I can order an unneeded item and it will arrive on my doorstep the next morning. It’s magic. There are so many things and niches for enjoyment that there truly is something for everyone. Just go look around the instagrams for a few. I just found my dog a pair of sunglasses that match mine (Rex Specs).
I have a lot of useless things. A lot. For awhile it seemed a box arrived a couple times a week. Hell, when I sold running shoes it was everyday. One reason anyone gets into the sports rep game is to get free gear. It’s awesome. Then like anything, you grow numb to it.
Over the last year, I’ve tried to get less things. I don’t need them. In fact. I don’t use them. For awhile I owned two cars. I purchased a cargo van for delivery and thought I’d probably build out the interior so I could camp in it. I currently have zero weekends off for the remainder of 2019 and a minimum of 20 booked in 2020. Sure. Camping. Seems like I’ll have lots of time for that. It’s also 1000 degrees here. Any van not equipped with a 6 ton ac is going to be an actual oven.
This morning I was looking through the Instagram and saw a truck that was also completely decked out for adventure. I found myself considering it. Thinking that a $50,000 truck with a fancy tent strapped to the top was just what I might need and I stopped and just unfollowed the page. I mean it’s cool and all but if I keep looking at it, I’m going to think about it and maybe one day, I’ll just “shoot the guy a message to see how much it is.” Next thing you know I’m on a plane to Arizona and I’m driving an 87 Toyota across west Texas, praying to god the damn thing would go more than 50 mph and that I don’t get stranded in the desert.
This isn’t about camping. It’s about consuming and we are all becoming pro’s at it. I used to have a Jeep. It was pretty nice. Then I bought a cargo van, and now I look like a creeper, but there really isn’t any difference. It gets me around and I can fill it with all the things I have. Some of them i even need. I’m not saying I won’t eventually get something less creepy, but really. Who cares.
Driving a cargo van around has taught me a lesson or two. One, that I don’t need wood on my dashboard or leather seats. Two, that I have too much shit as I have to clean out 6 pairs of shoes and 8 trucker hats out of it weekly. Three, in a pinch, I could move a person out of a one bedroom apartment in a couple trips (but don’t ask, I’m not moving you).
So take a step back and question your things. If you need me, I’ll be shopping for my next tent.
#hugsandhi5s
(I just paused and re read this post and reveled in the fact that I somehow just wrote a post about cargo vans and materialism.)
